A Thief's Bargain
by Unknown and Forgotten
Summary: Sequel to Tangled Lines. Remy finds himself in the most unlikely of situations - working with the FBI. After the murder of a dear friend, Remy returns to his roots to seek justice. ROMY
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Too bad though...**

**Author's Note: **Although this is technically a sequel to Tangled Lines, it's not a necessity to have read it in order to understand this story. Quick recap, Rogue has left the X-Men and is now working as an FBI agent. She's in a bizarre triangle with Remy and her partner, Damon Price. Also, I'll be writing with minimal accents. It distracts me. :-) Although set after Australia, this is an AU. (I'll be taking liberties with the characters' pasts.)

* * *

**Prologue**

The night air was hot and sticky, not unusual in this city that had been ravaged by the forces of nature so many years ago. Despite the weather, the young mutant was covered in black from head to toe. It saddened him to see the desolate streets that had once been so full of life. Flashes of memories danced through his mind, thinking back to happier times. His friends always teased him for his nostalgic nature. A smile came to his face as he turned a corner where he had first learned how to pick a lock. The house was now vacant, a mere shell of its once glorious self. A chill of sadness travelled down his spine. He pulled his trench coat tight hoping to erase the cold empty feeling.

"Merde," he cursed to himself. On any normal night he would have been living it up in the nightlife of Bourbon Street. By now, he would have found himself some lady to swoon and inevitably bring home. His thoughts were interrupted, however, by faint _crack_ in the background. Most men would have not have even heard it, but to a trained member of the Thieves Guild, it was as loud as thunder.

_Crack._ He continued walking further into the abandoned maze of homes, despite the realization that the sound was getting closer. Whoever was following him certainly wasn't trying to hide it. They were making a horrible mistake though, trying to corner a man in his own backyard He knew these streets like the back of his own hand. His pace quickened. _Crack_. Closer and closer. He turned a corner that led to a wider street. If this bastard was looking for a fight, then he was more than willing to give him one. If not for fleeting moments of light from the pale moon that shone through thick gray clouds, the area would have been pitch black. He stopped in his tracks, gripping his fists tightly. _Crack. _Right behind him. It was now or never. He tightened his jaw, turning on his heels.

Nothing. His eyes hurriedly scanned the area, straining to see in the darkness. Living all these years in this God forsaken city had made him paranoid. He let out a silent sigh, relaxing just a bit. He let out a chuckle, "You must be going crazy." It was definitely time to get a drink. He turned in the direction that would get him to the nearest seedy bar. He had the perfect one in mind. Cheap whiskey and even cheaper women. That was the last thought on his mind before the whole world went dark forever.

It was only fitting - to die where his life began. New Orleans. It was unforgiving. It was cursed. It was home.

* * *

News of the murder travelled fast. By daylight, the Thieves Guild was out for blood. Whoever was brazen enough to kill one of the family would soon meet a similar fate. The mansion's servants knew to lay low when their master was in an agitated mood. He was the patriarch of this family, and the guild members turned to him for justice. He planned on delivering nothing less than that.

"Father," a man called out to him, his footsteps echoing through the colossal hall. "Don't you think we should call him? He has a right to know." The elder man stood silent, staring out the window. His son spoke again in hopes of reasoning with his father. "Pierre was like another brother to us." He paused for a moment to fight back the tears. He continued, this time in a whisper. "He has a right to know."

"Make the call."

"Thank you, father." He didn't expect a response. He knew his father well enough to know not to speak to him any more. He had gotten his wish. Once his father walked out of the room, he fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a cell phone. Swiftly, he dialed a sequence of numbers that he had never thought he would use again. He waited with bated breath for a familiar voice.

"Hello?"

He couldn't respond at first. It was like talking to a ghost.

"Hello?" the man repeated.

Finally, he replied. "Remy, it's Henri. Are you sitting down?"


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Anna strained her eyes to keep them from betraying her. However, even after three ventis, her eyelids felt as if they were weighted with lead. The dimness of the room offered no help either. She tried to convince herself that she wasn't missing anything important. After all, it was just a debriefing of a minor case that involved fraud. She didn't even know why her department handled the case. To further complicate her predicament, the room's temperature was set at the perfect setting, just about 70 degrees. It was as if her superiors were welcoming her to take a nap. Suddenly, a swift kick to her shin startled her upright. She glanced over to her partner, Damon Price, who was still staring at the presentation, all the while displaying a crooked grin. She rolled her eyes in irritation, forcing herself to pay attention once and for all.

Anna didn't normally behave in such a manner. She was almost ashamed for the way she was behaving this morning. However, her activities from the previous night had deprived her from some much-needed sleep. As she sat staring at the screen, her mind wandered back and forth between work and the handsome man that was the cause of her insomnia.

Anna relived their night of passion in her mind. Although she and Remy had been spending almost every night together, he still found ways to surprise her when they made love. She closed her eyes for a moment as she pictured the way he touched and teased her. Anna felt a burning sensation in her legs. She thanked the heavens that she wasn't working with the X-Men any longer. The telepaths would have had a field day with her thoughts. She smiled inwardly as she thought of Remy, his hands caressing her body all over. If she concentrated hard enough, she could still feels his strong hands exploring all the areas of her soft pale skin.

"Ahem," she heard as she felt another swift kick to the shin. Her eyes shot open from the pain. Much to her dismay, the lights were all turned on now. Every person in the room was staring at her, some visibly forcing back their laughter. Anna felt the blood rush to her face, waiting in desperation for the attention to be drawn away from her.

"Raven," Ronald Brookes, the supervising agent for FBI branch named Mutant Affairs and Relations, yelled across the room. Anna always thought that they could have put more thought into naming their little slice of justice, but who cared what a former vigilante thought. "If you're done having your little daydream, we've got some pressing matters to discuss."

"I'm sorry. It was a late night," Anna started to explain. She felt the need to somehow save face in front of all her colleagues.

"Don't care," Brookes interrupted. "Moving forward."

From the corner of her eye, she saw Damon chuckle. Now that she was wide-awake, it was her turn to deliver some pain. Anna shifted ever so slightly closer to her partner, just close enough to drive her heel right into the leather of his expensive Italian loafers. She heard Damon fight back the urge to groan out loud. He shot her a look that conveyed that their little war was far from over. Anna merely smiled coyly, shrugging her shoulders as if she were unaware as to what just happened.

Anna had every intent to continue delivering her punishment to Damon until she thought she heard a familiar name. She narrowed her eyebrows, shifting her attention back to Brookes.

"What was that name again?" she spoke, surprising the other agents in the room.

Brookes sighed in frustration. It angered him that one of his best agents had developed a sudden case of ADHD. He repeated himself for her, "LeBeau. Pierre LeBeau. He's a part of a group that the FBI's been investigating for sometime now, known as the Thieves Guild. LeBeau was found dead this morning in a section of New Orleans that had been destroyed by Katrina. Cause of death remains unknown, but the coroner's ruled it suspicious. LeBeau was supposed to meet some of our own. Supposedly something big is going down and soon. He was supposed to fill us in on it."

"Do you think his guild members found out?" one of the agents questioned. If Anna didn't know them herself, she would have thought the same thing. However, she had seen first hand how the Thieves were a family first. Amongst their own, there was an unbreakable and honorable bond. She wondered how Pierre had been related to Remy. In all her years having known Remy, she could not remember ever having met this particular individual.

Anna paid careful attention to the details of the case. She waited anxiously until she could return to Remy and share the information. Although it was against policy to divulge information to outside parties, she knew it was necessary for Remy to be filled in. She all but jumped out of her seat once Brookes dismissed them.

Anna ran to her desk to grab her purse and car keys. She had made it half way down the hall before she felt a strong hand grab her by the elbow.

"Hey, where are you going?" Damon widened his eyes questioningly.

"There's something I need to do," Anna replied. She released herself from his grasp, continuing to head towards the elevators. She pressed the down button and waited impatiently for the car to arrive on the eighteenth floor. "I should be back right after lunch." She smiled hoping that he would leave it at that. She had no such luck.

"You're running home to tell him about this aren't you?" Damon accused her through gritted teeth. He knew the kind of trouble she would get into if anyone found out about this. "Not a good idea, Anna."

"Drop it, Damon." Anna started tapping her foot, glancing at her watch. Quarter past nine. If she were lucky, Remy would still be asleep at her place. She would rush home and break the news to him gently, before anyone from the guild called. She rolled her eyes in relief when the elevator doors finally opened. She stepped in and pressed the button for the lobby.

"Don't do it." Damon looked at her, pleading.

"I said, dropt it," she growled back as the doors shut between them.

* * *

Anna was worried to see that Remy had already left her apartment. She raced the five blocks uptown to where Remy had purchased his own townhome. It seemed like a waste of money to buy this large piece of real estate, since he spent every night sleeping with her. A space that large in Manhattan did not come cheap. But, Remy respected the fact that Anna still prided herself in her independence from the X-Men. The last thing he wanted to do was ruin their relationship by suffocating her. She never felt that way of course, and had been thinking of ways to ask him to just move in with her.

Anna fumbled for the set of keys that Remy had given her to his townhouse. Once she entered, she walked upstairs to his bedroom. He had already started to pack. A pile of clothes sat on his bed next to a large duffle bag. It worried her though that he also going to pack his uniform, several decks of cards, his telescopic staff, and knives of varying sizes and shapes.

"Remy," Anna called out into the empty room. All she could hear were the clacking of her heels on the hard wood floors as she looked for him.

"In here, chere," she heard him yell from the extra bedroom that he had converted into den.

"Hey there, hon," Anna greeted. "You planning a trip without me?" She wasn't sure how much he knew, or how much he was willing to share. Remy was always tight-lipped when it came to Guild matters.

"Just some business I need to take care of," Remy replied coolly. "I should be back in a few days." That confirmed it for her, he had no intention of telling her anything.

"Does this have anything to do with Pierre?" It was a bold intrusion into his private life. She knew how much it upset him when she prodded into his personal ties with the Guild, but if the FBI was investigating Pierre's murder, it was her business now too.

He stopped packing his belongings into the large bag and stared Anna straight in the eyes. "What do you know?"

Anna made them some coffee as they discussed the details of the case in his dining room. She explained how Pierre had been willing to meet with the bureau regarding something still unknown. She also told Remy how it wasn't clear how Pierre died. There were no physical signs to signal murder, but the timing of his death was enough for the FBI to view it as a homicide.

"There's no way Pierre was a snitch," Remy stared, brooding darkly into his cup of coffee. Anna could see the wheels grinding overtime. "But, if he were going to meet with the feds, umm, FBI," he corrected himself, "then he felt like there was no one else to turn to, no one he could trust. Not even the Guild."

"Do you think that this was an inside job," Anna spoke, her jaw dropping slightly. She had idealized the bond of the Guild so much, that she never considered it a possibility.

"Chere, with my family," he paused to finish his drink, "anything's possible."

* * *

It didn't take much for Anna to convince Brookes to assign her and Damon to the case. All she had to do was explain her past and familiarity with the Thieves Guild. Damon put up no objections to a trip to the Big Easy. It's not like he would have had any choice in the matter. Once he heard the name LeBeau, he knew it was only a matter of time before Anna dragged him down there. He also took it as an opportunity to learn more about Remy. Even though Damon had started casually dating a few different women, he still cared deeply for Anna. He was still waiting for the Cajun to slip up. But, Damon didn't see any point in waiting alone.

Remy, on the other hand, was not too thrilled that Pierre's murder had become Anna and Damon's next case. As much as he appreciated Anna's desire to help in the matter, the FBI's involvement would make it much more difficult for him to conduct his own investigation into the matter. Remy decided to make the best of the situation. He would not have to be away from Anna like he originally thought. They would still be able to spend their nights in the same bed. Remy admitted to himself that he was not looking forward to that part of his trip had he gone alone. Unfortunately, Damon would also be tagging along.

Remy smiled as best as he could when he saw Anna with her partner in tow.


	3. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: **There's been some trouble with the traffic tracking on the site. Unfortunately, I've been having a difficult time gauging the interest level for this story because of it. So if you like it, please let me know! : ) Thanks!

**

* * *

Chapter 2**

Anna stood waiting with her arms crossed as Remy and Damon argued who would sit alone in the back. She regretted letting Remy talk her into driving down south. He had explained that it was in everyone's best interest for any of their names not to appear together on an airplane's manifest. Anna longed for the days when they could stealthily travel in the Blackbird, in and out of cities all over the world.

Anna watched the two tall men in front of her argue like they were children in a candy store, fighting for the last piece of rock candy. She decided that she had seen enough. Anna grabbed the keys from Damon's hand, causing the fight to stop momentarily.

"Hey," Damon objected. "What do you think you're doing with my keys?" He had a truly puzzled look on his face. After all, he was driving, like he always did. He was having a hard time connecting the pieces.

"I've had it with all the arguing. You two are acting like three year olds," Anna replied. Remy and Damon gave each other a guilt-ridden look. Both men felt immediate remorse and gave Anna their full attention. "This is how it's going to go until you two learn to behave with one another. I make all the decisions, and I don't want to hear a peep about it. You hear me?" They nodded in unison like trained seals. "Good. I'm driving." Damon opened his mouth to object, but Anna shot him a look of warning. He instantly stepped back in line. Remy peered over at his opponent and gave him a _"haha" _sort of look. "Now, the two of you are sitting together in the back. If you're going to act like children, then you're going to sit in the back like children."

"But, chere. He started." Remy had not signed up for a twenty-hour drive next to Damon Price. Anna, however, ignored the protests and walked directly to the driver's side of the car. The two men were still staring at each other, although the verbal arguing had stopped.

Remy and Damon eventually conceded to Anna's request and climbed slowly into the back seat of the jet black Ford Expedition. Anna laughed inwardly as she watched the two men through her rear view mirror. Remy and Damon sat as far away from each other as physically possible. She thanked the heavens that they were not making the journey down in a small compact vehicle. They would have never agreed to this seating arrangement.

"Buckle up, kids," she joked before turning the key in the ignition.

Now Anna wasn't completely masochistic, as she was willing to share the driving with the others. Anna actually found herself pleasantly surprised by the lack of fighting that had occurred between Remy and Damon. After a whole day on the road together, it was as if all three saw the light at the end of the tunnel when they crossed the city limits into New Orleans.

Remy was at the helm when they arrived, which proved to be a blessing. They were able to avoid loads of traffic by taking back streets known mostly to locals. The trio pulled up to a hotel just after noon. Remy and Damon walked up together to check-in while Anna waited.

Anna had left the hotel accommodations to Remy and wasn't surprised by the lavishness. After she told him that the Bureau would be footing the bill, Remy's face lit up like a child on Christmas morning. She sat in one of the chairs in the lobby and ran her hands over the soft suede cushions. From the ceilings, there hung two extravagant crystal chandeliers. Brookes was not going to be a very happy camper once he saw the expense report for this trip.

"Okay, we're all set," Damon said as he and Remy walked back to Anna. "There aren't any adjoining rooms, but we were still able to get a pair right across from each other. Remy you can stay in this room. Anna and I will bunk together."

"Watch it, homme," Remy answered possessively.

"Just kidding," Damon smiled. All the while, Anna shook her head at the never ending dueling for her affections. She did care for Damon, but she wished that he would understand that she was with Remy now. They followed the bellboy to the elevators and up to the twentieth floor.

Remy tipped the young boy, despite the fact that Remy disliked how he was staring at Anna's breasts the entire ride up the elevator. He chalked his graciousness up to proper etiquette, but Remy swore he'd teach him some manners if it ever happened again.

"You booked us a suite?" Anna's jaw dropped once the doors were opened. "Brookes is going to kill me." She buried her face in her hands.

"Hey," Damon shrugged. "What's done is done. We might as well enjoy the rooms while we're here."

Remy roped his arms around Anna's waist. "Listen to your partner, chere. It's the first intelligent thing he's said all day. Once Brookes gets his man, he won't even think about the bill." Remy walked over to the windows and opened the curtains, letting the afternoon light in. "She's tres belle, non?"

Damon walked over instantly, joining Remy, to appreciate the view of the French Quarter. Anna, on the other hand, reached for her suitcase to unpack. She packed lightly, as she always did when travelling for a case. After securing her files in the room's safe, she walked into the bathroom to freshen up. She couldn't help the urge to whistle as she marveled at the décor. The entire room was covered in wall-to-wall black and gray marble tiling. She walked past the shining Jacuzzi, over to the separate glass shower. On the wall hung two pristine, plush bathrobes. Anna ran her fingers gently over the bath towels made from the softest Egyptian cotton. She wished that she and Remy were staying at the hotel under more pleasant conditions. She sighed deeply; maybe one day. By the time she walked out of the bathroom, Remy was on the phone.

As Anna walked over to her partner, Damon placed one finger over his lips, gesturing her to remain quiet. She sat beside him as they watched Remy pace back and forth in the other room.

"Apparently, your boy's already been spotted by his fellow guild members. Not quite sure who's on the phone, but it doesn't sound friendly. Heard him say your name and that you two are here on vacation together." Damon leaned back on the bed onto his elbows. "You going to call Brookes, or am I?"

"Why don't you do it," Anna replied. "In the meantime, I'll talk to Remy and see what's up."

Damon simply nodded before silently creeping out of the room. He gave Remy a quick wave before shutting the door behind him. Anna fell back onto one of the most comfortable beds she had even felt. It was as if the entire thing was made of clouds. She placed her hands behind her head. The wear and tear of the road trip had not caught to her until now. She closed her eyes in hopes of getting some rest.

In the meantime, Remy nodded as he listened to his brother, Henri, lecturing him on the other end of the phone. _"You should've stayed here at the manor. You know it's more secure for us to talk Guild business this way." _Remy understood exactly what Henri was saying. In fact, he agreed with him one hundred percent. However, if Remy stayed at the Guild's manor, he would not have been able to sleep next to his lover at night. The Thieves Guild was a suspicious bunch by nature. Although they knew Anna, they had never met Damon. Had he been a mutant, it would have been easy enough to explain his presence as just another member of the X-Men coming to help. But, Damon was human with no redeeming qualities in Remy's eyes. Having him tag along would have just raised too many red flags.

Remy finally finished his conversation with his brother and went to look for Anna. Henri would be sending a car for them around six. That gave them more than enough time to unwind and prepare for dinner with his family. He turned around the corner of the door frame to the bedroom and saw what he thought was an angel. There she was, lying out on the large bed, like a present waiting to be unwrapped. Her pinstripe charcoal suit pants fit perfectly around her waist and thighs. She had already removed the matching suit jacket, leaving only a white silk button-down. The fabric lay perfectly on her tight stomach and round breasts. Even though she looked unbelievably hot, Remy wasn't a fan of her new sense of style. The clothes were the perfect stereotype of a federal agent. But, it just wasn't his Rogue. He missed the green and yellow skintight uniforms.

Without a sound, he made his way over to Anna and lay beside her on the bed. She had let her hair grow out again, leaving only wisps of her white hair as bangs. Remy leaned in closer, unable to resist temptation any longer, and placed his lips onto hers. He kissed them gently at first, half expecting Anna to resist. Surely he would be lectured for trying something while they were there on business. To Remy's surprise, Anna had not objected, and reciprocated his affections. They continued to exchange the soft brushing of lips at first. But, their kisses lengthened and deepened with every passing second. Remy shifted his body so that he now lay over her, supporting his weight on his right elbow. His other hand began to explore her body, first over her thighs then her taut little stomach. His hand finally settled over her breasts, massaging them gently, as he began to kiss her neck.

Remy was taken aback when Anna pushed him onto his back, with her now straddling his waist. No words needed to be exchanged; they were going to let their hands do the communicating. Anna slid hers under Remy's black t-shirt, pulling it over his head. She began tracing the lines of his muscles, sending chills all over Remy's skin. She bent down to give him another brief kiss. Anna sat straight up again, this time to remove her own silk shirt. Remy waited impatiently as she slowly undid button by button, revealing a lacy cream-colored bra underneath. Remy sat up, unable to keep away any longer. He made a trail of kisses that led from Anna's neck, down her shoulder, over her collarbone, from one breast, and to the other. Anna let out a gentle sigh as Remy ran his fingers up the small of her back.

_Knock. Knock. Knock. _

"Merde," Remy bit his bottom lip. "We don't have to answer that, ma cherie." His words were useless. Anna had already jumped off the bed, and was starting to button up her blouse. "I'm going to kill the poor bastard on the other side of that door."

"Shush, Rems," Anna replied. "It's probably Damon. He went to check in with Brookes."

"Like I said, I'm going to kill him." Anna didn't know that Remy was only half-joking.

She finished getting dressed and ran into the other room. _Knock. Knock. Knock. _ "I'll be right there! Just hang on a minute. Geez, Damon…" Anna paused as she opened the door. Anna narrowed her eyebrows together when she saw that no one was standing in front of her. She stepped halfway out and looked to her left and right, hoping to find an explanation for the knocking. Nothing. The hall was absolutely empty, not even a cart for the cleaning staff. As Anna stepped back into the room, she noticed a black envelope on the floor in front of the door. She picked it up and brought it back into the room.

"What's that, chere?" Remy asked. He, too, was fully clothed again.

"Don't know. Just found it sitting on the floor," Anna continued to examine the black envelope. She walked over to the desk and found a heavy silver letter opener next to the hotel's embossed stationery. Her eyes widened upon seeing the contents of the envelope. "It's us," she whispered.

"What?"

"It's a photo, of us. It looks like it was taken when we were standing in the lobby," Anna explained. She turned the photo over, reading a message written on the back. "I've been waiting."


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Damon entered his room and walked to where Anna and Remy sat. They were trying to remember the events of that afternoon, particularly details of anyone that was in the lobby. After Anna opened the mysterious black envelope, the two mutants walked across the hall to show Damon its contents. Damon had immediately gone to hotel security, hoping to get a glimpse of who it was in the lobby that snapped this picture. Unfortunately, it was as if the stranger knew exactly where the cameras were angled. He or she had carefully walked about in a way that never revealed a face.

"We can't stay here, chere," Remy spoke honestly. "If this has anything to do with Pierre's death, we can't risk our safety."

Anna knew that he was right, although she didn't want to leave the luxurious hotel. "What do you recommend then? A different hotel?" She sat back in one of the plush cushions of the sofa, waiting for his response. She savored the feel of the fabric, since she may have to be parting ways with it soon.

"Non. Not a hotel."

Anna immediately recognized the gleam in his eyes when he came up with an idea that she would protest. And, she knew exactly what he was getting at. "Oh, no LeBeau. There's no way we can pull that off."

Damon, unaware of what it was Remy was planning wanted clarification. "What am I missing here?" His eyes shot back and forth between his companions, waiting for a response. They merely ignored him, as Anna became increasingly annoyed with Remy.

"You're family thinks that I'm just tagging along for a vacation while you look into Pierre. How do you expect Damon and me to do our own investigation while living in your father's manor?" Anna stood and walked over to Damon. "Plus, how are we going to explain him?" She placed one hand on her hip while the other pointed at her partner.

"I could be a fellow X-Man," Damon replied casually.

Anna rolled her eyes at his nonsensical explanation. "And how exactly are you going to do that? You ain't got any powers, remember?"

"Right." Damon nodded. "But, they don't know that, right? Just because I don't have any obvious physical mutations doesn't mean I'm not a mutant. Besides, I could always try to fake it."

"How exactly can you fake," Rogue shook her head. "Forget it. I can't believe I even entertained this conversation for this long." She turned back to Remy who sat slouched back in his chair. The wheels were definitely spinning. "No way, Remy. You don't actually think this is a good idea, do you?"

* * *

Anna forced a smile as the car came to pick them up from the hotel. She handed her luggage over to the driver that Jean-Luc hand sent for them. She cursed inwardly at the way she had been out voted by Remy and Damon. She liked it so much better when they were at each other's throats.

"Merci, Marcel," Remy said as he stepped into the limousine.

"I've got to admit LeBeau," Damon stated, admiring the pearl plated bar in limo, "your family has class."

Remy only smiled, returning his attention to his still very annoyed girlfriend. "Trust me, cherie."

Anna turned her head slightly and raised an eyebrow. "This better not blow up in my face Swamp Rat."

In less than a half-hour, the car pulled up in front of one of the many residences of Jean-Luc LeBeau. Anna always took for granted the amount of money Remy and his family actually had. Seeing this manor, which was located on the outskirts of New Orleans, was a blatant display of their wealth. Despite his resources, Remy never acted like he was better than others, unlike Warren would tend to do from time to time. It was one of the qualities that she loved the most about him.

Damon's eyes widened at the site of the large home that was situated in the middle of the former plantation. The white columns ran all the way around the exterior. He felt as if he were on the set of Gone With the Wind. Damon half expected a greeting by Scarlet O'Hara herself.

Damon, instead, saw a tall, bald man open the doors to greet them. He was about Remy's height, with a dark mustache. "Mon frère. So good to see you again!" He walked right up to Remy, giving him a solid hug. Next, he turned his attention to Anna, who beamed a smile. She offered her hand to him, as he placed it in his own to give it a kiss. "And Rogue. You're as radiant as ever. Don't know why you keep taking my dog of a brother back, though. Especially, when you could have your pick of anyone in the family!" He gave her a wink. Damon knew definitively that Remy was related to this man.

"Henri," Anna called him, "Mercy would kill you if she ever heard you talking in such a way."

Damon surmised from Anna's response that she was quite familiar with Remy's family. Finally, Henri turned his attention to Damon. "And you must be their friend." Henri extended a hand out to greet his brother's new friend.

"I'm…" Damon started to answer, but was completely interrupted by Remy.

"Damon Taylor." Remy stepped forward, placing his arm over his brother's shoulder. "Where are my manners? Henri, Damon here's one of the new teachers at the mansion."

Damon smiled and finished their handshake. He understood why Remy had interjected himself so abruptly. They had never thought of an alias for him. Surely, his family would be suspicious of any new faces. They would never have been able to explain why he had the same name as an FBI agent.

"That so?" Henri smiled. "Well, welcome to our humble abode, Monsieur Taylor."

"Thanks," Damon flashed a smile.

They followed Henri into the mansion's ornate parlor. The walls were painted a deep burgundy color, with contrasting curtains weaved from a luminous golden fiber. Damon would not have been surprised if it were in fact made of real gold. Judging by the vast collection of artwork, the curtains were the least expensive items in the whole room.

"The staff will bring you bags up to your rooms," Henri explained as he poured himself a drink. "Can I offer you anything?"

"No thanks, sugar," replied Anna. Damon refused the offer as well. Remy on the other hand, accepted the glass of bourbon. Henri would certainly of found it peculiar if he hadn't. Sharing a drink was, after all, somewhat of a ritual for them whenever Remy returned to town.

"Rogue," Henri said as he walked back toward them. "I'm so glad you were able to talk mon frère into staying here at the mansion with us."

"It wasn't anything." Anna smiled at Henri, wondering if she should tell him to call her by Anna. She thought the wiser against it. If she were still with the X-Men, like Henri was led to believe, then she would have had no problem with his use of her former moniker. "Henri, how's Mercy doing?"

"She's doing real good, Rogue." A smile came to Henri's face as soon as Anna mention his wife's name. Anna had always admired the true love that Remy's brother shared with his wife. "She's out running an errand right now. But, she should be in time for supper."

They sat in the parlor for about another hour, exchanging small talk about their lives. Finally, one of the servants entered the room, announcing that dinner was ready. They all relocated into the dining room and took their seats. Henri and Remy walked over to the seats on either side of the main chair, where Jean-Luc normally sat. Anna walked over and sat beside Remy, with Damon on the other side of her. A setting had been placed for Mercy, next to where Henri sat. Jean-Luc soon entered the room smiling, although Anna could see the pain he felt in his eyes.

"Mon fils," Jean-Luc said, "How wonderful of you to come."

"Father," Remy replied sternly. Their relationship was not the best between a father and his son, but there was an unspoken love between them that would never be broken.

"How nice to see you again, Rogue," Jean-Luc continued. "You grow lovelier every time I see you, my dear."

"Thank you, sir," Anna blushed.

"And, M'sieur Taylor. I apologize for the inconvenience of having to rearrange your accommodations. But, you see we just insisted on having Remy and his friends stay with us." Apparently, Remy had led Jean-Luc to believe that it was his idea for them to stay at the LeBeau manor. Remy had not divulged the information regarding the black envelope.

"Not a problem at all," Damon replied. "Thank you for putting us up in your gorgeous home."

They ate in relative silence, with Mercy joining the meal just after they finished their soup. Tante Mattie, a life long employee of the LeBeau family and the closest thing Remy had to a mother, was in the kitchen preparing the delicious meal. Tonight's menu consisted of crab bisque, crawfish etouffee, and beignets for dessert. Anna felt as if her stomach was going to explode as she down the last of the sugar covered dough.

By the end of the meal, Jean-Luc had requested to speak to Remy privately about some family affairs, which Anna and Damon respected. Remy gave her a gentle kiss before she and Damon followed one of the house's servants to their chambers. Unlike the hotel, Damon's room was on the other end of the long hall. Damon had no doubt that this was Remy's doing.

* * *

Jean-Luc sat in silence until he was sure that his houseguests were well out of earshot. He laced his fingers and brought his hands up to his jaw as he waited. When he could no longer hear their footsteps, he turned to his youngest son.

"Pierre's funeral will be the day after tomorrow. Arrangements have been made, the Guild will take care of his mother now." There was flatness in his tone, as if he were trying to suppress his emotions.

"Even though you and Pierre's mother were only second cousins, he was like a brother," Henri chimed in. "It's the least we can do. Especially now that our tante is ill."

Remy nodded in silence. He thought back to days in their youth, when Pierre would follow them around like a little puppy. Remy was five years his elder. It had been Remy that taught him how to pick his first lock. Remy remembered being impressed by his little cousin's skills. It had been years since he had last seen Pierre. A pang of guilt struck Remy. Pierre's funeral should not have been how Remy saw his little cousin again.

"What do we know of his murderer," Remy spoke, breaking his silence. His mood had made a sudden dark turn.

"Nothing as of yet," Jean-Luc replied. "We have our best men looking into it though. You'll be the first person to know once we find out."

"Bien." Remy pushed his chair out and stood. "If you all don't mind, I'd like to turn in for the night. It's been quite a long day for me."

"Of course," they all replied.

"Good night, Remy," Jean-Luc spoke last.

By the time Remy walked into his room, Anna had already changed into her nightgown and was fast asleep. He took a second to marvel at her beauty; she truly was his angel. Remy quickly changed into a pair of pajama pants and climbed under the blankets. He gently brushed away the hair from her eyes and kissed her forehead. She sighed in response to his touch and weakly fluttered her eyelids.

"Hey, sugar. Is everything okay?" she whispered, half asleep.

"Oui, mon bel ange," Remy replied. "Go back to sleep."

Anna gave him a small smile and nodded. Remy watched her sleep for a few more minutes before dozing off in a slumber.

* * *

Only Jean-Luc and Henri sat in the parlor now, both with drinks in hand.

"Why didn't you tell him what the scouts reported earlier?" Henri rarely questioned his father, but he had been dying to ask this since Remy left the dining room that evening.

"There are too many questions left unanswered, mon fils. We still need more information." The patriarch of the Thieves Guild was nothing but careful. He would never have gotten to be such if he weren't. The truth was, this information that he learned that afternoon scared him to his inner most core. He thanked the lord that Remy had decided to stay at the manor during his visit. Right now, New Orleans was not a safe place for mutants.

* * *

**Translation:**

_Oui, mon bel ange_ - Yes, my beautiful angel.

**Author's Note:**

tenchi: Thank you so much for leaving a review. You are a loyal reader, and I greatly appreciate your support! I'm just glad to know that someone out there is actually enjoying my story! :)


	5. Chapter 4

**Author's Notes:**

**It's been a while. Again. I'm sorry.**

**BTW: I have a new twitter account. So if you have twitter, I'd appreciate the follow. Tweet me with questions and I'll give you a behind the scenes look into the stories I've written and am currently writing. Plus, I'll post plot ideas there before you read it on Fanfiction! **

**So follow me on Twitter! MzJennaX**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Anna had awakened before Remy the next morning. It was only five in the morning when she carefully slid out of the bed she shared with her lover. She decided that she would go for a run while most of the manor's inhabitants were still asleep. She liked having that free time to herself to clear her mind. She changed out of her nightgown into a pair of dark green, stretchable jogging pants and a matching jogging bra. She strapped her iPod Nano to her bicep. Finally, she pulled her hair up into a neat ponytail before she slipped quietly out of the room. She had decided to leave her gun behind, seeing as there was nowhere to properly conceal it from others.

Anna jogged furiously around the property limits, listening to an eclectic mix of songs ranging from rap to pop. Although Anna was a southern girl at heart and loved some good old-fashioned southern rock, she had recently taken a liking to the band Green Day. She was mouthing the words to _Last of the American Girls_ when she returned to the house and poured herself a drink from the water cooler in the kitchen. She bopped her head up and down to the rhythm of guitar.

Anna nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Mercy seated at one of the kitchen tables with a smile on her face. She immediately pulled the earplugs out and started to turn two shades redder.

"Oh my God, Mercy," Anna laughed. "You scared the hell out of me, girl."

"Sorry, Rogue. I didn't want to disturb you. It sounds like a good song, non?" Mercy smiled in return. "Why don't you come and join me?" Mercy pulled out one of the chairs next to her and patted the seat with her hand.

"I'd love to," Anna obliged. Anna continued to drink her water when Mercy spoke up again.

"I envy you Rogue," Mercy commented.

"What?" Anna raised an eyebrow, giving Mercy a confused look. "Girl, you're crazy. I'm not the one with a loving husband doting on me day and night."

"No," Mercy replied. "But you have, Remy. That boy would die before he ever let anything happen to you. He nuts about you, Rogue."

"He's wonderful," Anna agreed. "But, it's still not what you have with Henri. You guys have the bond of marriage."

"Is that what you want?"

That was a good question on Mercy's part. It was one that Anna had thought about from time to time. She and Remy had joked about it in the past. But, the talk of marriage had not come up since after they reunited. Remy had come close to proposing, but it wasn't to her. Anna thought back to the day when she saw Remy walking out of the jewelry story in Westchester months ago (*TL). She had never brought it up to Remy; after all it wasn't any of her business. That was personal between Remy and his ex, Lanie. But, still, Anna wondered why Remy had never approached her with marriage.

"I don't know," Anna replied simply.

"Well," Mercy started as she stood up from her chair, "if my lazy brother-in-law leaves you waiting too long, there's always that devilishly handsome M'sieur Taylor. He's got a thing for you, you little Rogue." Mercy gave her once last wink and smile before exiting the kitchen. She was already gone before it registered whom Mercy was talking about. Damon. Anna was not used to hearing him referred to with that alias.

Anna washed and dried her glass before returning it to the cupboard. On her way back to the room, she thought about what Mercy had said. How could she have picked up on Damon's feelings for her? Was he still so obviously projecting his feelings for Anna? Anna could not pinpoint any moment last night where Damon would have led anyone to believe so. Anna walked back into the room and saw that Remy was up and their bed was already made. She decided to take a hot shower to relax her muscles after the long jog.

She had just finished washing her hair with her lavender scented shampoo when she felt a pair of strong hands begin to massage her lower back. This impromptu massage coupled with the hot water pouring over her naked body was sending her skin on fire. She turned slowly to meet a pair of red eyes with her own emerald green. She smiled shyly as he moved his hands behind her head, pulling her closer for a kiss.

"Missed you this morning, chere." He whispered in between kisses.

"Missed you too, sug," she replied, placing her lips back onto his. She parted her lips, allowing him to kiss her deeper. Anna moaned in pleasure and Remy ran his hands over her wet body. As Anna felt Remy's warmth against her thigh, she knew that it was time for them to relocate back to their neatly made bed.

Remy and Anna lay in bed with their legs intertwined when Henri tapped lightly on the door. "Breakfast is in twenty minutes you two. And, I know you've worked up an appetite!"

Anna blushed while Remy rolled his eyes at his brother's remarks. He traced his fingers along her face, marveling at her beauty.

"I hate to admit it, but you're brother's right." Anna smiled. "I'm starving!"

"Just five more minutes, cherie," Remy replied. "Then we head down, d'accord?"

Anna nodded in agreement and moved herself closer to her lover. She nuzzled her face into his chest and inhaled his intoxicating scent. "I love you, Remy. Forever."

"Forever? That's a long time, chere. You sure you can put up with this thief for that long?"

"Forever." Anna removed her face from his chest and gave him a kiss on the lips. Married or not, Anna was determined to never leave his side.

Five minutes turned into fifteen by the time Remy and Anna made their way downstairs for breakfast. Damon was already seated at the table, chatting it up with one of the chambermaids. His diamond blue eyes sparkled when Anna walked in to the room. The look in his eyes made her blush, more so because of the comment that Mercy had made earlier that morning. Henri's beautiful wife did not miss the sudden perk in Damon's mood either. Mercy gave Anna a look of "I told you so" and Anna took her seat between Damon and Remy.

"Morning, Mercy," Remy said, reaching for the pitcher of orange juice. "Where are Henri and Jean-Luc?"

"Hmm," Mercy replied as she spread orange marmalade on her toast. "I think Henri said that they had some business to take care of. They said that they should be back this afternoon, and that they would fill you in on the details."

"Well, seeing as they won't be back for some time, Roguie and I were thinking of taking Damon into town to see the sights." Remy shoved some bacon into his mouth. "See, he's never been."

"Well, mon cher, try not to get lost in our little city of mystery," Mercy smiled at Damon who was finishing the last of his breakfast.

"I'm sure I'm in good hands," Damon smiled over his empty plate.

"I bet you are." Mercy gave Anna a wink, unseen by Damon or Remy. Anna's eyes widen at her insinuation. She looked at Remy out of the corner of her eyes and was grateful to see that he was busy with his cell phone.

Anna was glad to have finally gotten out of the house and into the city. She had been dying to start their investigation into Pierre's murder. Brookes had phoned them and told the pair of agents to check in with the local police unit that was handling Pierre's case. Remy thought it best that a known member of the Thieves Guild not step anywhere near a police precinct. Anna and Damon agreed to meet with Remy in two hours at a small café three blocks away.

Damon walked over to the reception area and showed the man his badge. Anna surveyed her surroundings and took note of the hustle and bustle of the room. To her right, was a man sitting in a chair with his hands cuffed together on his lap. She tried to listen intently to see what he was being charged with. He was covered in dirt, and his smell was quite offensive. Anna guessed from his tattered clothing that he was homeless.

Anna looked back over to Damon, who was now waving her over. They were both required to sign into the visitors' log, and then were each given a visitor's badge to wear around their necks. She and Damon were greeted by one of the detectives working on the case.

"Paul Laporte," the detective introduced himself, extending a hand out to Damon and Anna. He was a gruff man, shorter than Anna. He looked like he was about forty years old. Years on the force had obviously taken its toll on Laporte. He kept himself fit, although he had a tiny potbelly. "_Guess he likes his beer." _Anna thought to herself.

"Don't know why the captain decided to bring the Feds in on this," huffed Laporte. "We can handle this case."

"I'm sure you can," Damon encouraged. "We're only being brought in because of the fact that this guy was a mutant. See we're part of a special division…"

"Yea, I know all about you guys," Laporte interrupted. Damon and Anna gave each other a glance. Local cops never like when the FBI is called in. They feel like their toes are being stepped on. Laporte's reaction was nothing they hadn't seen before.

"Mr. Laporte," Anna spoke up. "If you don't mind, my partner and I would like to take a look at the case file." Anna was a bit abrupt, but they were wasting time. She hated wasting time while working, especially murder cases.

"Yea, I've got it all ready for you. Your boss called mine this morning. It's in conference room 3. Come on, I'll show you the way."

Remy sipped carefully on his espresso while he waited for Anna and Damon to finish their business at the precinct. He smiled at the flirtatious waitress who brought him a slice of cake "on the house". Remy rarely indulged in such sweets, but he wasn't one to turn down a free dessert. She had conveniently written down her phone number on a napkin she handed to him with her dessert. He smiled politely and winked as he slipped her number away in his pocket.

Remy was finishing his dessert when he noticed someone veering over a newspaper. Dressed in a pair of jeans, dark sunglasses, and a hooded sweatshirt, the stranger was unnoticed by everyone on the busy street, everyone except for Remy. Remy left twice the amount of his tab and quickly walked down the street. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the stranger fold up the newspaper and follow. Remy had an endless list of enemies, so he was anxious to see who had sent this latest spy. Remy quickly ducked into an alleyway and crouched behind a large dumpster. He could hear a quick shuffling of feet nearing where he hid. Once the stranger walked past, Remy sprang from his crouch and placed his pursuer in a chokehold. As gracefully as if he were dancing the waltz, Remy maneuvered from the chokehold, pinning the stranger up against the brick building. Remy grabbed the sunglasses from the stranger's face. His jaw dropped when the realized who had been following him this entire time.

"You," Remy snarled.

"Me," the stranger replied, a devilish smile growing on a pair of ruby red lips.

* * *

*TL – Occurred during _Tangled Lines_

As always, PLEASE REVIEW!


	6. Chapter 5

**Author's Notes:**

**Kataract52: Thanks so much for the quick review! I'm the type that would rather not write when I know I won't pen my best work. And, unfortunately it can be months… But I'm still at it so don't worry.**

**Rabid_Jack: Thanks for the twitter follow! **

**True Summer Wonder: Thanks for adding **_**A Thief's Bargain**_** to your favorite stories list! **

* * *

**Chapter 5**

"Drowning?" Anna questioned as she fingered through the coroner's report. "How exactly does a young man in his 20s drown in the middle of a deserted street?"

"Maybe it was just a dump site," Damon replied as he examined his own stack of files. "Lake Pontchartrain is within walking distance. Pierre crosses the wrong people. They drown him in the lake and leave him in an abandoned neighborhood for the stray dogs."

"No. It just doesn't sound right. See all the debris and rubble; CSI was able to identify his footprints. Pierre walked there on his own accord," Anna explained. "The odd part is that the only footprints around his body were his. If Pierre was dumped there, they would have another set of prints."

Damon analyzed the photographs taken by the police. As much as he hated to admit it, Anna was right. Damon sorted through the photos and laid each one out on the table before them. A hint of color from one the images caught the corner Anna's eye. She quickly turned her attention to the photo. It was a full body shot of Pierre. His body lay on his side, as if he were merely taking a nap. But in the corner of the image was some sort of cloth, folded neatly by his feet.

"Damon," she said, "read through the report. What does it say about this red and gold fabric?"

Damon flipped through one of the files for a few seconds before answering. "According to the report, it's a cloak. It was examined for any trace evidence, but they couldn't find a thing. It doesn't say anything except that it's a reddish and golden cloak. Sixty inches long. Made of…"

"Velvet and silk," Anna interrupted.

"Yea," Damon replied, narrowing his eyebrows. "How did you know that?"

"It's the cloak associated with members of the Assassin's Guild," Anna replied. Assassins wearing that cloak had held Rogue forcibly in a fight on more than one occasion.

"The rival guild," Damon answered. Damon was not completely unaware for the guilds. After all, he was an FBI agent and there have been numerous investigations into both guilds ranging from grand larceny charges to heinous murders. "So do you think this murder was nothing more than guild rivalry?"

"I don't think it's that cut and dry. Last I heard the guilds were at peace. I just don't know," Anna replied. She would definitely ask Remy about it as soon as they met up with him. Everyone at the Bureau knew the guilds were at peace, though. The deaths of rival guild members were at an all time low. What could have caused such a violent act – especially one that would surely restart a war.

"So, hypothetically speaking, let's say it's not the Assassins. Then who?" Damon had a valid question. Unfortunately, Anna didn't have an answer.

"That's why we're here, Price." Anna replied.

* * *

"Belle," Remy forced through his teeth.

"Remy," Belladonna Bourdeaux, the leader of the Assassin's Guild and Remy LeBeau's ex-wife, smiled in reply. "Now is that a way to greet your first love?"

"Get over yourself, Belle. I haven't thought of you that way for years. And you haven't thought very kindly of me either," Remy answered. "So, why are you following me?"

"I wasn't," Belle replied. "Well I wasn't at first. Believe it or not, I was just enjoying this beautiful day, reading my newspaper in the park." Her eyes pointed to the scattered pages of _The Times – Picayune_.

"Let me think. What if I choose not to believe it," Remy said. He loosened his grip on her and helped pick up her belongings. "Why don't you just come clean. I don't have time for your games, woman."

"Fine," Belle pouted. "I heard about Pierre. I was on my way to see you at your father's house when I saw you leaving. I decided to follow you into town. The rest you know. By the way, was that Rogue I saw with you? I thought she left the X-Men."

"She did," Remy replied. They stood in awkward silence; Belle waiting on her former husband to elaborate. When it became evident that he wasn't going to volunteer any more information, Belle continued.

"Well, you have to tell me this at least," Belle smiled. "Who was that gorgeous man that was with the two of you?" Remy rolled his eyes. Belle couldn't have been into Damon too. No, he wasn't her type, Remy convinced himself. She was only doing this to rile up a reaction out of Remy.

"Forget about it, Belle," Remy replied.

"Uh-uh," Belle interrupted, waving her slender finger in his face. "You are going to introduce me to him, Remy LeBeau. Give me his name at least."

"What's with you," Remy questioned. "I thought you had better taste than that. After all, you married me right?"

Belle raised a solitary eyebrow at Remy. "Get over yourself, LeBeau. And, what do you know about my type? I like gorgeous, powerful men. He's definitely gorgeous. Is he powerful?" Belle joked.

"No," Remy answered. "He's a new teacher at Xavier's school."

"Oh well," Belle replied, "I can make him powerful. Now, let's head back to the café. You can buy me a latte while we wait." Remy watched as his ex sauntered out of the alleyway and back onto the busy sidewalk. She hadn't changed one bit; Belle was just as beautiful, as confident, and deadly as ever. Whatever charade she was playing, Remy was going to play right along.

Anna was standing by the café where Remy was supposed to wait for them. Damon went inside to check for Remy. Anna felt a knot in her stomach when she saw Damon through the glass windows without Remy in tow. What if something happened to him? What if whoever killed Pierre, was now after Remy?

"I suppose we can call him," Damon commented as he walked through the doors of the café. Anna began to reach for her cell phone when Damon grabbed her hand. "Nevermind," Damon nodded in the direction behind Anna. "Our missing Cajun's returned, and it looks like he has company."

Anna's eyebrows narrowed as she turned to see what Damon was talking about. She couldn't fight the pout growing on her face as she watched Remy walk down the street with the notorious, beautiful blonde, and Belle was definitely laying it on thick for her audience. She snaked her arm around Remy's waist, laying her head on his shoulder. Belle knew that Anna had been watching them the entire half a block back to the corner café. Anna could hear Damon give out a quiet whistle.

"Don't even think about it, Price," Anna warned. "She's bad news. As in leader of the Assassin's Guild kind of bad."

Damon raised his eyebrows at the revelation and let out a silent "oh".

Anna forced a smile to her face as Remy and Belle approached. Before Anna could speak, Damon offered his hand to Belle.

Damon gleamed as he eyed the busty blonde. Anna looked up at her partner and saw a familiar glimmer in his eyes. He was definitely attracted to Belle. Anna couldn't help but feel a hint of jealousy, but quickly dismissed the feeling since she had been the one to reject Damon in the first place.

"Damon Taylor, and you are?" Damon held out his hand to Belle, who gently placed her own into his. Damon bent over and kissed her hand. Anna was ready to vomit in the middle of the sidewalk.

"Belladonna Bourdeaux," she smiled flirtatiously. "I'm an old friend of this scroundel," Belle continued as she playfully slapped Remy on the arm. She turned her attention to Anna now. "Rogue," Belle plastered a huge fake smile on her face. "It's been years! How have you been?"

"Actually, Belle, I just go by Anna now," the irritated former X-Man turned federal agent replied. "I haven't really used that moniker since I left the X-Men a few years back."

"Really?" Belle questioned. "Then why are you here with two of Xavier's finest teachers?" Shit. Anna hadn't thought of that. What was her reason to be here?

"She's here for me," Remy interrupted, pulling away from the Assassin's grasp. He made his way over to Anna and placed his arms around her waist. "Anna's here to support me while my family deals with Pierre's funeral arrangements."

Apparently, Anna and Remy's rekindled relationship was news to Belle. Despite the surprise, Belle continued with her act. "But of course," her native drawl thickening. Anna knew she had won this round, but Belle was a fighter. Both women knew that there was plenty of cattiness to be dealt out in the foreseeable future. "Well, I really must go. I'll be seeing you around. I'll take a rain check on that latte, LeBeau." Belle walked away, putting a little more sway as she sauntered down the street. Anna cleared her throat to get the attention of her two male companions.

"Remy, we need to talk to you," Anna commanded.

"Uh oh," Remy replied. "I swear, chere, I had nothing to do with Belladonna being here. She just showed up."

"That's not what I want to discuss," Rogue interjected. "Well, it is, but it isn't. I need you to tell me what the relationship between the guilds is like."

Remy was taken back by Anna's willingness to discuss guild business in front of an outsider like Damon. Even though Anna was technically an outsider herself, Remy trusted her enough to discuss some matters. Damon was a different story.

"Chere," Remy warned. "I don't think this is the right time to talk about this."

"Cut the melodrama, LeBeau," Damon sighed. "I know enough just from working at the Bureau."

"And that's exactly why I've got nothing to say," Remy answered.

"Remy, stop with the games," Anna replied. "We have reason to believe that the Assassin's may have something to do with Pierre's death. That's why we need to know."

"What?" Remy asked with growing concern. "What did you see in those case files?"

"Not so fast, Remy," Damon answered. "We asked you a question first. Is there tension between the guilds?"

"Non," Remy snapped back. "None at all. There's a truce. Anyone stupid enough to break the truce knows the price." Remy stared down onto the concrete, running his fingers through his auburn locks. If Pierre's murdered was an Assassin, the streets of New Orleans were sure to be painted red soon enough. He was now faced with the dilemma of whether or not he should offer this information to Jean-Luc. "Now your turn. Tell me what you know."

Anna and Damon recounted their findings to Remy as they walked back to where they parked their car. In the midst of the conversation, none of them were aware of the speeding Mustang dangerously racing around the corner. It was Remy who first heard the squealing of the rubber tires. He wrapped an arm around Anna, rolling them safely out of the way. Anna heard a loud thud as she and Remy landed against the pavement. She quickly surveyed herself, then her boyfriend. Neither of them showed any signs of physical injury. Her thoughts quickly turned to Damon, who was lying in the middle of the street. Anna pushed herself up and ran over to her partner. Panic raced through her veins as the sight of blood caught her sights. She ordered the civilians to back away as she tried to assess the extent of Damon's injury.

"This is Special Agent Raven. My partner is down. We are on the corner of Haley Boulevard and Euterpe. I'm requesting immediate help. I need a bus ASAP. Hold on, Damon. Help's on the way." Anna assured her partner, although he was unconscious. What had already been a bad situation had just gotten significantly worse. Who ever killed Pierre knew they were there. This blatant attempt at their lives in broad daylight was a message to stay away. Anna was sure of that. She pushed Damon's jet-black hair away from his face. She wished for nothing more than to see his crystal eyes staring back at her again.

* * *

**There you go folks. Two chapters in one day! Phew! I'll write some more tomorrow. Don't forget to look me up on twitter! MzJennaX**

**As always, PLEASE REVIEW! 3**


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Panic raced through Anna's veins as she watched her partner lay on the blacktop of the dirty city street. She looked for any sign that Damon was going to be okay. She tried her best survey the situation, but her worries were clouding her thoughts. _You can't die on me. I need you. _She was so distracted that she had not even heard the wailing of the ambulance's siren.

Damon's eyes fluttered open as he looked up at what he thought was an angel from heaven. Death had come for him, he was sure of it. "Damon," the angel said, a smile growing on her face.

"Am I dead?" he asked the angel. That was when he noticed the angel's face look at him with a bemused look.

"No, silly," the angel responded. "The ambulance is here. You'll be okay once they patch you up at the hospital. And when I find the son of a bitch that did this to you, I'll kill them."

Damon thought that those were some strange words coming from one of God's angels. It was only when he saw those brilliant green eyes that he realized who it was he had been talking to that entire time.

"Anna?" Damon whispered. Why did his head hurt so much?

"Of course," she replied. "Who else would I be?" Anna smiled and ran her fingers through his blood stained hair.

Remy looked on with concern as he gave a statement to the first responders. Naturally, he gave the police officer an alias, not wanting his surname to raise any red flags. Thankfully, it was a sunny day, so it wasn't out of place for Remy to be wearing a pair of sunglasses. His red-on-black eyes were notorious in this town. After he had finished with the police, Remy walked over closer to Anna, hoping to comfort her. As he watched Anna hover over Damon, an uneasy feeling overcame him. He couldn't quite place his finger on it, but Remy knew enough to trust his instincts. His current train of thought was disturbed as Anna's piercing green eyes came into focus.

"Remy," she sighed, "do you mind if I ride with Damon to the hospital?"

"Of course not, chere," Remy replied. He would have offered to come with her, but he knew better. Once at the hospital, it would all come out that Damon was actually an FBI agent. Remy thought it wiser to stay clear of that scene. Any master member of the Thieves Guild knew better than to insert himself into a room full of federal agents. "Keep me updated," Remy said as he gave his lover a gentle kiss on the lips. For the slightest moment, his uneasiness subsided, albeit for the smallest fraction of a second. However, it all hit him again like a shot to the gut as soon as Anna pulled away from him and the doors of the ambulance shut behind her.

* * *

They spent hours in the hospital: Damon being poked, prodded, and tested by all types of machines, and Anna answering as many of Brookes' questions as possible.

"Why the hell does this shit always happen to the two of you," Brookes hollered at Anna on the other end of the telephone.

"We must be on to something," Anna explained. "Otherwise why try to take us out. It's a little too coincidental that we were attacked right after we left the police station. Whoever it was knew we would be there that day."

"There's no possibility that this was a simple hit and run?" Brookes questioned.

"No," Anna replied. The squealing of the tires replayed in Anna's mind. The memory was so fresh, she swore she could even smell the burning of the tires as the car hit Damon and screeched around the street corner. If Remy had not pulled her out of the way, the car would have hit her as well.

"We have the whole department checking every surveillance tape in the area. If there's a picture of this asshole, we're going to find it," Brookes spoke.

They finished their conversation as Damon was wheeled back into the hospital room. She tucked the phone into her back pocket and sat beside Damon once he was settled into the room. The cute, young nurse blushed when Damon asked if she would be back later to tuck him in. Anna merely rolled her eyes, but had to admit that Damon still looked quite handsome, despite the fact that he was bruised and cut all over. A pang of guilt hit her as soon as the thought manifested itself. She forced her attention back to the larger problems at hand. A. finding out who did this, and B. finding out why they did it.

Anna watched as the nurse injected some painkillers into Damon's IV. It was only a matter of time before her partner would succumb to the medicinal cocktail in his bloodstream.

"How are you feeling?" Anna looked at her partner with concern. She walked over to him and placed her hands on his.

"Wonderful now," Damon smiled. "These drugs are amazing!" She saw the effort it was taking to keep his eyelids open. It would be any moment now before he was out for the night.

"The doctors say that you have a slight concussion, some cuts and bruises. But, otherwise, you're lucky to be alive. They're going to keep you here for observation, and maybe release you in a few days," Anna explained to her partner.

"Whatever happened to patient confidentiality," Damon murmured.

"Try explaining what that is to Brookes. He demanded your records and threatened to subpoena the whole hospital," Anna laughed. "You know Brookes, a couple of phone calls, and he gets what he wants."

"Uh-huh," Damon managed.

"Listen, I'll get going so you can get some rest. I'll be by again in the morning," Anna whispered, pulling her hand away.

Just before she could walk away, Damon wearily grabbed hold on her fingertips. He made a mumbled sound before letting go. Anna carefully pulled her hand away and brushed his hair away from his face before walking toward to door.

As Anna placed her hand on the door's handle, she could swear she heard the words "goodnight angel" come from Damon. She held her breath and pursed her lips tightly before rushing into the hall.

She gathered herself before walking down the hall to the elevator. Anna rapidly pressed the down button and waited impatiently for the elevator to finally arrive.

Her thoughts were now racing a mile a minute. It was perfectly natural for her to care about her partner, right? After all, they put their lives into each other's hands on a daily basis. She trusted Damon more than she trusted anyone. Wait. No. It was Remy that she trusted the most in her life. Wasn't it? When the silvery doors finally opened, Anna jumped into the car and tried to push out all her guilty thoughts. The ride down to the lobby was torment. Her anxiety heightened when the elevator doors opened, and her eyes were met with a pair of red on black eyes.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the short update guys. I wanted to get this out because I couldn't leave poor Damon on the cement. And, since I've been getting a bad case of ADD lately, there's another story that has been tantalizing my muses.**

**But, don't worry faithful readers, (the few and far between) I will still be writing this story. This will not have the same fate as Demon Eyes!**

**TheParadoxicalPoint: I know what you mean! I probably shouldn't be saying this but I am a ROMY shipper and always will be! ;) But who's to say we can't have some angsty fun along the way!**


End file.
